Tag Archives: Los Angeles Rams

In a meeting in Houston, Texas today, NFL Owners agreed to approve the proposed plans for the St. Louis Rams to return back to Los Angeles, starting in 2016. Owners voted overwhelmingly to accept the relocation proposals of the Rams and the San Diego Chargers to move back to Los Angeles, voting 30-2 in favor of the franchises. The Rams would be returning back to Los Angeles, home to the second biggest media market, for the first time since 1994-95 when they played as the Los Angeles Rams.

The Los Angeles Rams played in Southern California from 1936-1995, with a brief gap in 1943, when operations were suspended. They are best remembered for bring the city 21 playoff appearances in the 48 year history culminating in the highest honor in 1951 with an NFL Championship. There were also plenty of Hall of Fame players who graced Los Angeles with their presence over the years, such as Eric Dickerson, Norm Van Brocklin, Deacon Jones, and Jack Youngblood. The LA Rams were a powerhouse of a franchise that certainly gave off the idea that football in Southern California would be a mainstay for the NFL, though it was not meant to be. In 1994-95, the Rams had lost their fanbase and had failed to make the playoffs since 1989. The stadium situation as well as the fact that they were being overshadowed by the more successful Dodgers and Lakers teams of the late 80s resulted in loss of viewership and a plummeting franchise. It wasn’t until 1995, that the Rams were able to relocate to St. Louis, Missouri where they would play out the next 20 years (winning Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999).

Other teams that initially pursued relocation from their respective cities following the 2015 Regular Season were the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers. Oakland played in Los Angeles from 1982-1994, where they won Super Bowls XI (1976) and XV (1980) before relocating to their current home. They withdrew their request on January 12, 2016. The San Diego Chargers called Los Angeles home when the franchise first started out, residing in the City of Angels solely in their inaugural season, 1960 but winning the division that year.

With the Rams approved to move back to LA, they will play out their next few seasons from 2016-2019 most likely in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before the new facility, proposed by owner Stan Kroenke, is completed in Inglewood, CA in 2019. The Chargers have until January 16, 2017 to decide if they will join the Rams in moving to Los Angeles, though all indications seem to point to the move being a certainty. Incentive to both the Raiders and Chargers to stay in their current cities will include $100 million to go towards stadium renovation costs, as per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

With what is surely both shocking, yet expected news, it will be interesting to further gauge the response by fans and cities of NFL teams, mainly those that have struggled in past seasons, to the news of the Rams, and possibly the Chargers playing in LA once again. But for now, let us all take in this news as more information unfolds while remaining optimistic that the uniforms of old will return along with the team in 2016.

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